Traffic warning device

ABSTRACT

A traffic warning device for use in apprising oncoming vehicular traffic of the presence of an obstacle, construction zone, or other device or location to be avoided by the operators of such vehicles. The warning device is a hollow structure having four conically shaped legs each of which intersects each other leg at an angle of 120* so that the legs collectively form a symmetrical caltrop. Secured to the caltrop in a position in which it touches three of the legs at locations substantially equally spaced from the point of intersection of the axes of the legs is an annular reflector element. By virtue of the securement of the reflector element at this location, it is angled with respect to the vertical when three of the legs are placed on a flat horizontal surface, this angulation being such that light beams from the head lamps of an automobile are reflected along a line which extends substantially coincidentally with a line of vision extending from the driver of the automobile to the traffic warning device.

[451 ,ian, W, 11972 [54] TRAFFllC WARNING DEVMIE Alfred 1P. Parduhn, Route 2, Box 33, Oklahoma City, Okla. 731 14 [22] Filed: Apr. 24, 11969 [21] AppLNo.: 019,040

[72] Inventor:

3,105,457 10/1963 Atueger ..ll6/63P Primary Examiner-David Schonberg Assistant Examinerl\/lichael James Tokar Att0meyDunlap, Laney, l-lessin & Dougherty [5 7] ABSTRACT A traffic warning device for use in appzrising oncoming vehicular traffic of the presence of an obstacle, construction zone, or other device or location to be avoided [by the operators of such vehicles. The warning device is a hollow structure having four conically shaped legs each of which intersects each other leg at an angle of 120 so that the legs collectively form a symmetrical caltrop. Secured to the caltrop in a position in which it touches three of the legs at locations substantially equally spaced from the point of intersection of the axes of the legs is an annular reflector element. By virtue of the securement of the reflector element at this location, it is angled with respect to the vertical when three of the legs are placed on a flat horizontal surface, this angulation being such that light beams from the head lamps of an automobile are reflected along a line which extends substantially coincidentally with a line of vision extending from the driver of the automobile to the traffic warning device.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to equipment used to control the flow of traffic, and more particularly, to devices used to warn approaching traffic of the presence of a hazardous obstacle to traffic flow, or of a zone of construction or repairs being effected on or along a thoroughfare.

2. Description of the Prior Art Various types of portable signals have heretofore been provided for delineating certain zones on, or alongside of, thoroughfares in order to prevent motorists from entering these zones. Portable warning devices have also been provided for clearly marking stalled cars along a thoroughfare, or for apprising approaching motorists of the existence of obstacles or hazardous conditions on the thoroughfare. Many of these devices include battery-operated lights which permit the devices to be observed at night. Others include reflectors which reflect light from the headlights of the approaching vehicle, and are thus more easily observed by the operator of such vehicles. Many of the devices of the type described which have heretofore been utilized are of relatively fragile construction, and are easily rendered inoperative by dropping the device on the ground, particularly upon hard paved surfaces, or by impact or crushing by carelessly operated vehicles. MOreover, many of the more sophisticated traffic warning devices heretofore in use are of relatively expensive construction, and require periodic maintenance in order to extend their useful operating life.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention comprises an improved, lightweight vehicular traffic warning device which is sturdily constructed, and which functions effectively to reflect light from the headlamps of an automobile to the operator of such vehicle. Broadly described, the vehicular traffic warning device of the invention comprises a plurality of divergent legs which are joined through a central body portion of the device, and which collectively form a symmetrical caltrop. Secured to the caltrop so as to contact three of the legs thereof at points which are substantially equidistantly spaced from the central point at which the axes of the four legs converge is a disk-shaped reflector element. In this position of mounting of the reflector element on the caltrop, the reflector clement extends at an angle of from about to about with respect to the vertical. In this position, a beam of light originating at the headlamps of an approaching vehicle is reflected along a line which extends to about the eye level of the operator of the vehicle, and thus maximum visibility of the vehicular traffic warning device during the night is achieved.

In a preferred construction of the invention, each of the legs of the warning device is conical and hollow, and is constructed of a relatively lightweight, high mechanical strength synthetic resin material. The central body through which the four legs of the device are joined to each other is also preferably constructed of a lightweight, high mechanical strength plastic.

It is an object of the invention to provide a lightweight, mechanically strong vehicular traffic warning device which can be easily transported from one location to another.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive, mechanically strong warning device which can withstand shock forces without becoming inoperative or being damaged.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide a vehicular traffic warning device which carries a relatively small reflector surface, which surface is protected by the geometry of the device from being fractured or broken when the device is dropped from a height upon a hard surface.

A further object of the device is to provide a vehicular traffic warning device which, during the daytime, can be oriented in substantially any position to provide a visible warning to vehicular traffic of the presence of obstructions, or hazards, or of a restricted area into which vehicles should not proceed.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicular traffic warning device of the invention as it appears when viewed from the side thereof on which a reflector element is mounted.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicular traffic warning device when it is viewed from the opposite side thereof from the side toward which it is viewed in FIG. ll.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken in a plane extending normal to the reflecting surface of the reflector element forming a portion of the warning device, and passing through two of the legs of the warning device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION As illustrated in the drawings, the vehicular warning device of the invention, in the illustrated embodiment, includes four conically and symmetrically shaped hollow legs 10, 112, Ml and 16. The legs 10-16 have their bases joined to each other through a central body portion 18, and] are interconnected so that each leg has an axis which extends at an angle of 120 to the axis of each of the other legs. The legs 141 116 thus collectively form a symmetrical caltrop. With the legs -16 thus arranged, the warning device may be rested upon a flat surface with any three of its legs in contact therewith, and the fourth leg will then extend vertically from the central body portion 18. As shown in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the legs 10-16 are preferably made of a synthetic resin which is relatively lightweight, of high mechanical strength and resilient.

The final element of the vehicular traffic warning device of the invention comprises a reflector element designated generally by reference numeral 20. The reflector element 20 includes a rigid metallic backplate 22 to which is bonded by any suitable method a light-reflective material 24L This construction of the reflector element 20 is a standard construction and the reflector element 20, in the disk or circular shape depicted in the drawings, is a commercially available structure. The disk-shaped reflector element 20 is secured by a screw 26 or other suitable fastener element to the central body portion 18 of the caltrop, and is oriented with respect to the legs 1046 of the caltrop so that the reflector element contacts three of the legs at points which are substantially equidistantly spaced from the point in the center of the central body portion 18 at which the axes of the four legs Ill-1'6 intersect.

When the reflector element 20 is stably supported on the caltrop by reason of the three-point support afforded by the legs with which it is in contact, and by the fourth point support afforded by the securement of the reflector element 20 to the central body portion 18 by means of the screw 26. Further than this, this method securement of the reflector element 20 to the caltrop assures that in any position of the vehicular traffic warning device, the reflector element 20 will be kept out of contact with the pavement or other surface upon which the caltrop is supported by three of its legs. This is true even when the three legs with which the reflector element 20 is in contact are the legs which contact the supporting surface, for in this position, the reflector element extends substantially parallel to the supporting surface and is spaced vertically upwardly therefrom. There is thus no way the reflector element can be broken by dropping the warning device upon a hard surface.

Finally, one of the most important advantages of the described construction results from the orientation of the exposed, reflecting plane of the reflector material 24 with respect to the vertical. This surface extends at an angle of from about 15 to about 25 with respect to the vertical, and preferably at an angle of about 20 with respect thereto. By reason of this angulation, the angle of incidence of a beam of light originating at the headlamps of an automobile appreaching the warning device fromsome distance is such that this light beam is directly reflected toward the eye level of the operator of the vehicle. Thus, a maximum amount of the light from the headlamps ,of the vehicle reaches the vehicle operator, and the visibility of the warning device during night usage is greatly enhanced.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be perceived that the warning device of the invention is a relatively economically constructed warning apparatus, yet is effective to apprise vehicular traffic of the existence of traffic hazards or of the geometrical limits of a restricted zone or area which is to be avoided. The device is mechanically strong and can withstand destructive forces tending to distort the device without being fractured or rendered inoperative. It is easily used in substantially any orientation during daylight hours, and can be used in a variety of positions with equal effect during the night. The device can be dropped from a substantial height on a hard surface without destroying the reflector element forming a part thereof due to the protection afforded this element by the four symmetrically oriented legs of the device.

Although various structural changes, particularly in materials of construction, can be made to the depicted and described embodiment of the invention, many of these variations in construction continue to rely upon the basic principles herein described, and are therefore thought to be equally encompassed by the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the legs might be made solid rather than hollow, and the material of construction of the device might be rubber, or even wood or metal without total loss of the many advantages which have been described as characteristic of the device. The

reflector element 20 forming a portion of the device may also be varied in its construction while continuing to embody the principles herein identified. All changes and innovations of tb itmqarqjntsndsd whqsvnsidstsd as q .s r tures contemplated by logical extensions of the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A traffic warning device comprising:

a symmetrical, resilient synthetic resin material caltrop having four hollow divergent legs, each of conical configuration, connected to each other at one end, with said legs forming equal angles with each other wherein the axes of said hollow conical legs intersect at a point at the geometric center of symmetry of said caltrop; and

a central body portion interconnecting said legs; and

a reflector element secured to said caltrop and having a reflecting surface lying in a plane which intersects intermediate portions of three of said legs at points spaced from the interconnected ends of said three legs toward the free outer ends thereof, said reflecting surface lying in a plane extending at an angle of between 15 and 25 to the vertical when one of said legs intersected by said plane extends vertically.

2. A traffig Warning device as defined in claim 1 wherein saidr eflector element is of circular configuration and is spaced from, and extends substantially parallel to, a plane passing through the free, outer ends of said three legs intersected by said plane. 

1. A traffic warning device comprising: a symmetrical, resilient synthetic resin material caltrop having four hollow divergent legs, each of conical configuration, connected to each other at one end, with said legs forming equal angles with each other wherein the axes of said hollow conical legs intersect at a point at the geometric center of symmetry of said caltrop; and a central body portion interconnecting said legs; and a reflector element secured to said caltrop and having a reflecting surface lying in a plane which intersects intermediate portions of three of said legs at points spaced from the interconnected ends of said three legs toward the free outer ends thereof, said reflecting surface lying in a plane extending at an angle of between 15* and 25* to the vertical when one of said legs intersected by said plane extends vertically.
 2. A traffic warning device as defined in claim 1 wherein said reflector element is of circular configuration and is spaced from, and extends substantially parallel to, a plane passing through the free, outer ends of said three legs intersected by said plane. 